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One institution unable to provide an independent opinion on the subject is the not-for-profit Cult Awareness Network. Described in scientology literature as “the serpent of hatred, intolerance, violence and death”, it used to give advice in America about a number of sects and organisations. It went bankrupt after much litigation. Its name, telephone number and contact details were then purchased by a scientologist.

Police officers across the country have been used by the Church of Scientology to promote its antidrugs campaign in schools.

Officers have been handing out booklets that praise the science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard, the church’s founder, and describe both prescription and illegal drugs as “poison”.

Scientologists say they are so trusted by the police that they have been asked to act as adult representatives for young people arrested on drugs offences.

One of the booklets handed out by Metropolitan police on behalf of the church’s Say No to Drugs campaign said Hubbard was creator of “the safest, most effective - and only - detoxification procedure of its kind”.

It included an allegation that the church at its UK headquarters in East Grinstead, Sussex, took in young English people with a history of mental illness.

The document said the young members paid fees of £450 and £500 before being classified as trouble-makers and put out on the street after suffering breakdowns.

It also said the church created family discord and broke up marriages, referring to a six-year-old who was declared a “suppressive” because she would not leave her mother.

The same people who had tried to obtain my exdirectory phone number, handed out pamphlets attacking me, and dispatched an American private detective - an ex-Los Angeles police officer - to Britain to frighten and smear the source who had helped me expose their activities.

Almost daily threatening letters arrived by fax and post at the newspaper where I used to work. Messages were left on the answer machine at the home of the managing director.

Strangers turned up in his village asking questions about him.

And the culprits behind this campaign of intimidation? Step forward the Church of Scientology.

Mr Stewart agreed to be filmed by Scientologists in late 2005 standing outside the Bishopsgate police station and praising the work of Scientologists who helped man cordons after the Aldgate tube bombing on 7/7 and provided a chiropractor to massage beat bobbies’ tired feet.

In the film, Mr Stewart identifies himself as a serving officer but appears wearing plain clothes.

The video is used by the Scientologists to help show new recruits how they can establish links with local organisations.

But experts have questioned the motives of the Scientologists, pointing out that their main aim is to spread their ideology as far as possible by finding new recruits.

Devotees of the Church of Scientology have gained access to thousands of British children through a charity that visits schools to lecture on the dangers of drugs. A Sunday Times investigation has found that Marlborough College is one of more than 500 schools across Britain where the charity has taught.

Critics of the charity, Narconon, say it is a front to promote the teaching of Scientology - the controversial “religion” founded by L Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer.

Schools contacted last week said they knew nothing about the charity’s links with Scientology. There is no apparent reference to the church in its drugs education literature.

A councillor in East Sussex has asked for Scientologists in his town to be stopped from working for the council.

Councillor Michael Murphy has had his proposal seconded by councillor Paul Scott, but other members of Crowborough Town Council have raised objections.

He suggests the council “refrains from using the voluntary services of the Scientologists until a full investigation has been carried out”.